The Gauhati High Court has taken up a suo moto case for the cancellation of bail after a Special Court in Arunachal Pradesh granted bail to a former warden of a school hostel who allegedly sexually assaulted 21 youngsters. Yumken Bagra, the accused, reportedly committed the crime between 2019 and 2022 while working as the dormitory warden of a government residential school in Karo village, Shi Yomi district.
According to the court, the victims were all under the age of 15 when the offence was committed. “According to the charge-sheet, the accused warden forced the children to watch pornographic films and repeatedly subjected them to sexual assault. The medical reports of the majority of the victims corroborate the fact that they were sexually assaulted, as marks of violence were observed on their private parts,” the court, which took up the matter on its own initiative, stated.
It stated that because the offence under Section 376AB of the IPC was used in the case, it was mandatory to ensure the presence of the informant or any person authorised by him at the time of the bail application hearing, but the records revealed that the Special Court disregarded this mandatory provision. According to the Gauhati High Court, the Special Court granted bail to the accused in a “absolutely casual manner despite observing that the statements of the victims reveal a grave offence having been committed” and without taking the Special Public Prosecutor’s concerns into account. “The larger issue that preoccupies the Court’s mind is the safety of the victims…after the accused is released on bail,” the judge ordered.
“Let notice of the bail cancellation proceedings be issued to the accused…and dasti to Mr I Chowdhury, learned Advocate General (AG), Arunachal Pradesh for ensuring service upon the accused through the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Station concerned for the next date of listing,” the court ordered.
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